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Digital Photography One on One
By Mark Wallace
April 28, 2011
AdoramaTV presents Digital Photography One on One. In this episode Mark Wallace answers the question, "which lens should I buy?"
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Mark illustrates how no lens is ideal for every application, but helps viewers decide how to make appropriate decisions for lenses for the kind of photography they're interested in. Mark also describes and demonstrated perspective distortion and compression.
Learn More at the Adorama Learning Center
Connect with Mark Wallace on Facebook or Twitter, or visit the AdoramaTV channel on YouTube.
Mark Wallace is the host of AdoramaTV videos
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Reader Rating and Comments
The 50mm lens was mentioned as a low-cost option for portraiture. While it's true that it will have a narrower angle of view on an APS-C camera (80mm on Canons, 75mm on 1.5x crops like Nikon, Pentax and Sony), that can be an advantage for portraiture. If the angle of view is your primary concern, then by all means get a 30-35mm lens. If a cheap ticket into the fast lane is what you're after, then a 50mm lens really can't be beat -- there's about a thousand dollar difference between a 50mm/1.4 and a 35mm/1.4 (the difference is much more modest at the f/1.8 level, but it's still there if you're working on a tight budget, and a very sharp 50mm f/1.8 lens at or around the $100 mark new is a fantastic bargain).
by essellar in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on December 21, 2011
The video indicates a file containing lens recommendations should be available in the video description area but nothing is found. Otherwise - EXCELLENT video
by Papi in Florence, AZ on November 8, 2011
A 50mm is not 50mm on a crop. So should someone with a crop sensor get a 50mm or something in the 30mm range? [If you have an APS sensor camera, you would need a 35mm lens to get the equivalent angle of view as a 50mm on a full-sized sensor camera —Ed.]
by Shortybiscuit in Brooklyn, NY on October 6, 2011
Can you comment on applications for a super-zoom lens (e.g., 18-200)?
by Dave in Phoenix, AZ on June 7, 2011
Just looking for the article that you mentioned in the video. Would really like to see it..
by Sac in Wisconsin on May 11, 2011
At 8:50 in the video, you say your lens choices are posted in the learning center. I'm at the link from the video description, but I don't see the choices. Little help, please.
by Don in Texas on May 5, 2011
The descriptions are very clear and informative. Great teacher!
by Joni in Florida on May 5, 2011
Is this recommendation for Full frame or crop camera? I could not find camera specific recommendation in www.adorama.com/learn
by bob in windsor on May 2, 2011
very informative video and every photographer has to know the right lenses for the right job. Thanks Marks.
by lmprasad in fontana-ca on May 1, 2011
In the video you reference an article with additional information, but there is no link in the description?
by rdeaver in Kansas City on April 30, 2011
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